Blatter also said he was in favour of establishing a panel to study video evidence and impose suspensions on those whose offences go unnoticed, or unpunished, by the officials on the pitch.
According to the current rules of the game, diving is punishable only by a yellow card. But FIFA’s referees’ committee has suggested that the cynical act could be interpreted to constitute "dissent", which would enable referees to issue felons with red cards.
"If, in the referee’s opinion, the player is showing dissent to the game, he can be sent off," said Blatter. "That includes diving and lying on the field of play trying to stop the game. For that, they can be shown red.
"Cheating is the human face of the game, and if you are running forward with the ball it is easy to dive," he added. "The players feel under pressure and they want to win. But this is something we will be very strict on at the World Cup and we will have better-prepared and more professional referees."
